A number of advances have been made over the years to improve the safety and functionality of ski bindings. Notable among these is the self-release, or automatic release, ski binding. Such bindings may also be referred to as safety release bindings. In general, such bindings include separate ski boot heel and toe retention mechanisms that can each be set to automatically release the ski boot when loads of a particular magnitude are applied, such can occur as in a crash or a fall. The release points can be set so as to account for considerations such as the size, weight, and relative skill level of the skier. While there is little question that automatic release ski bindings have made a significant contribution to improving the safety of skiing, those bindings still have a number of shortcomings both in terms of their safety and convenience of use.
For example, although it is often desirable for a ski binding to release automatically in the event of a fall or crash, mechanical failures sometimes occur that hinder or prevent operation of the automatic release mechanism. Such failures can result in injury to the skier and/or damage to the skis and bindings.
As another example, circumstances sometimes occur in which a skier is involved in an incident that, while potentially dangerous, is not sufficient to cause release of the boots of the skier from the bindings. By way of illustration, a skier may get stuck in a tree well simply by skiing too close to a tree. Although there may have been no crash, and possibly only a minor fall involved, it is well known that tree wells can be dangerous and, as such, the skier who falls into one may be in a potentially life threatening situation.
A significant part of the danger posed by tree wells is that it can be quite difficult for the skier to extricate himself, and skiers have been known to suffocate, or die of hypothermia, in the attempt. Escape from a tree well may be complicated significantly by the fact that the skier's boots are still attached to his skis because the bindings have not released. Moreover, the skier may be in an awkward position that makes it difficult or impossible to reach the bindings and manually release them. Thus, in this scenario, self release bindings may be of little use in helping the skier escape his predicament.
As a further illustrative example of some shortcomings of conventional manual release ski bindings, it is not uncommon for novice skiers, in particular, to get one or both skis caught on a chair, rope, tow, tram, gondola, or other equipment when the skier is loading or unloading. Because the lift typically cannot stop immediately, the skier may find himself being dragged, pulled, or flipped by his skis for some distance. In some cases, the forces involved are significant enough to trigger automatic release of the boot ski binding, but this is not always the case, and the skier may still suffer injury even if the forces are not adequate to trigger release of the boot from the ski binding.
Other shortcomings of typical safety release bindings may be more a matter of convenience than safety. For example, when novice skiers, particularly younger skiers, crash or fall, their bindings may not release, typically because such crashes and falls are low speed events. Nonetheless, it can be difficult for these skiers to get their skis oriented properly so that they can get back on their feet and begin skiing again. This is particularly so if the skier should happen to fall in relatively deep snow.
Moreover, even if a skier is experienced, it is not uncommon for skiers to be involved in crashes or falls where one or both of the bindings do not release. If such a crash or fall occurs in deep snow, for example, it can be quite difficult and time consuming for the skier to dig out and return to skiing if the skis are still attached to the boots of the skier. This may be particularly so if there is no one nearby to assist the skier.
In view of problems such as those noted, what is needed is a ski binding that will release a locked in ski boot at any time on the initiative of the user. As well, the ski binding should be configured to release the ski boot without requiring the user to manually operate or manipulate any part of the ski binding. These example functionalities may be of particular interest, for example, to seniors and skiers that find themselves unable to stand back up because they have had a fall, and are unable to manually release their bindings.